A recent change to California law significantly limits the ability of debt collectors to collect a time-barred consumer debt. Effective January 1, 2019, amendments to the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act will require debt collectors to notify debtors if they are attempting to collect a time-barred consumer debt. The changes also prohibit debt collectors from initiating legal proceedings to collect the debt under most circumstances.

California law defines "debt collector" as "any person who, in the ordinary course of business, regularly, on behalf of himself or herself or others, engages in debt collection."